Analysis of Post-Harvest Losses of Fresh Bell Pepper in Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

A study was conducted on the economic analysis of post-harvest losses of fresh pepper in Kano state, Nigeria. The specific objectives of study were to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of pepper producers and marketers; estimate the causes of pepper post-harvest losses, quantities and values associated with these losses, determine relationship between total harvest and the losses at harvest and post-harvest stages, estimate the costs and returns of pepper production and marketing, determine the effects of these losses on profitability of pepper marketing in the study area, and describe the strategies adopted by pepper producers and marketers to reduce post-harvest losses. Multi-stage sampling techniques was employed. Findings from study observed that pepper production is 100% dominated by male, and the post-harvest losses of 3370.84kg, 1150.97kg and 50.67kg are recorded at farmers, wholesalers and retailers levels respectively. The study also revealed that pepper production and marketing is profitable in the study area with gross margin for farmers at 615932.2N/ha and marketing margin of 30N/kg for wholesalers, and 35N/kg for retailers. The major causes of post-harvest loss identified were physical fruit damage by 96.6%, varietal characteristics by 93.1%, and excess watering by 95.4%. Paired T-test revealed that there is significant difference between profits with and without loss with t-value of 2.571, 2.047 and 2.496 on farmers, wholesalers and retailers respectively. The post-harvest losses encountered was found to reduce profit margin of producers by 49.83%, 80.48% for wholesalers, and retailers recorded 88.09%, this shows that post-harvest loss of fresh bell pepper is really higher at market level than at farm level. Further findings of the study shows that 66.3% of producers and marketer considered reducing water frequency, followed by 39.8% who considered covering pepper with grasses, and selecting of good variety by 9.5% as the effective strategies to reduce post-harvest loss of bell paper.